Samsung Galaxy S7: Snapdragon vs Exynos

There are two variants for the Samsung Galaxy S7, a US version with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor and the International version with the Exynos 8890 octa-core processor. But which one is better? Let's take a look.

Exynos vs Snapdragon: performance

Since we have not been given the US model, we need to use the readings from PhoneArena. These state that the Qualcomm variant of the Galaxy S7 in browser benchmarks and in multicore benchmarks are higher than the Exynos version. The latter is not surprising, the Exynos is clocked with four cores operating at 2.3 GHz and the Snapdragon with 2 x 2.15 GHz and 2 x 1.59 GHz. In addition, the Samsung processor can outsource background tasks on its four Coretex-A53 CPUs.

Exynos vs Snapdragon: efficiency

If the Exynos processor has twice as many cores as the Snapdragon 820 then it theoretically should also consume more power. Since we do not yet have any measurement, we cannot draw a definitive conclusion. We'll discuss battery life below.

Exynos vs Snapdragon: modifiability

Another important question in the processor differences between the two versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7 is whether you can install third-party software. Also crucial is the question of how complicated root access is. In these measurements, the international version initially had a clear advantage but now the US version seems to be ahead.

Previously, CF-Autoroot S7 and S7 Edge Custom Recoveries were made available only to the International version. Then, after March 18, the bootloader lock was lifted from US versions and the tide changed.

Once this was completed, the Snapdragon model had some clear advantages. Samsung shares Qualcomm's processor documentation with developers, allowing the creation of third-party firmwares. In the long term, it is plausible that CyanogenMod comes out for US Galaxys. The Exynos variant, however, is not expected to authorize modifications beyond root access.

The comparison is a little idle

It's not surprising the Samsung decided to release two different versions of its Galaxy S7. This allows the company to track differences in performance and satisfaction for the device with different variables. While it does seem that the US processor does have some clear advantages, international version purchasers should not be dismayed. The Exynos version is still part of a great device and will perform near where its US peer will.

What do you think about this difference in processors? Let us know in the comments.